"..."
Yu Dongjun was stunned, finding it hard to believe his own ears.
He was silent for a long moment before a hint of anger flared in his eyes.
Even though he had expected Yu Sheng wouldn’t let Yu Mingxuan off easily, he never imagined she would refuse him with such a rigid attitude.
"If that’s the case, then there’s nothing more to say."
"I have presided over Anren Prefecture for many years. I simply cannot dare to hand the Prefecture City over to a so-called Celestial Pride who is so harsh toward her own kin."
"Much less follow her myself."
Yu Dongjun rose slowly, his voice cold.
He was the Mountain Master in charge of Anren Prefecture. Taking the initiative to come here and show goodwill was already a debasement of his status.
His previous words were not only to protect Yu Mingxuan but also to test Yu Sheng’s attitude.
If she had treated him with courtesy, then despite his age, he wouldn’t have minded putting in some effort to find a backer for his later years.
’But with this arrogant and willful attitude? I’d better forget it.’
"From this day forward, I will step forward to take charge of the overall situation. There will be no need for Immortal Yu Sheng to trouble herself."
After dismissing the idea of following her, Yu Dongjun’s first priority was to firmly secure control over Anren Prefecture City.
The Celestial Prides of both the Qi and Yu Families were each sustained and supported by the resources of an entire prefecture.
Anren Prefecture could have been a powerful backer for Yu Sheng, but she had personally thrown this opportunity away.
With things as they were, Yu Dongjun had to seriously consider whether this woman would affect his own position.
After all, Yu Sheng had a history of stepping on her own kin to climb the ranks.
’Who knows if I’ll be the next one she steps on?’
’Whichever prefecture wants to coddle this lone star of calamity can take her. In any case, Anren Prefecture won’t be serving her.’
He had no desire to become the next Yu Qiheng—to serve her with utmost dedication only to have his entire line wiped out in the end.
"..."
Inside, Miss Yun emerged with light steps, originally intending to offer a few words of comfort.
But she saw that Yu Sheng’s expression was normal; she didn’t look like she had been wronged at all.
"Huh? I thought you’d be crying your eyes out by now." She was a little surprised. After all, back in the Old Woodshed, the little one had been utterly heartbroken by the Yu Family’s indifference.
"Of course not."
Yu Sheng huffed. She did want a large territory, but it absolutely could not be obtained by betraying Lin Shu.
Indeed, from her perspective, if she had personally written a letter of pardon, it would have meant she condoned the assassination attempt on Lin Shu and accepted it as a bargaining chip for personal gain.
"Junior Sister, come out for a moment."
Just then, a calm voice suddenly called from outside the courtyard.
A man with a straight, tall posture glanced casually at Yu Sheng. His manner was still slightly cold yet impeccably polite, leaving no room for complaint. "Yiru pays his respects to Immortal Yu Sheng."
"Wait for me."
Miss Yun paused, then stepped out of the courtyard. "Senior Brother, what do you need me for?"
Qian Yiru turned and walked toward a secluded spot. He asked slowly, "That Brother Lin you speak of—is he very important to you?"
"Very important."
Miss Yun was a little confused but answered decisively.
Qian Yiru withdrew his gaze. After pondering for a few breaths, he said casually, "From the academy, I was observing the ambient qi and noticed something amiss over in Wuyang County. A Great Demon might be on the move. It’s not safe to enter the mountains these days. You can tell Immortal Yu Sheng and have her warn the disciples under her command."
"Say no more than that. Whether she believes it or not is up to her."
With that, he strode away and left.
Not until he had returned to his own courtyard room.
Qian Yiru sat cross-legged on a meditation cushion, his gaze calm as he looked out the window.
Of course, he couldn’t actually observe the Demon Qi in the counties of the prefecture from within the academy.
But he could easily pick up on the rumors and gossip circulating within the academy.
And from that, understand recent events.
For example, who had forced Vice Mountain Master Yu Mingxuan to leave the Martial Arts Academy.
And the hushed whispers of the disciples he had previously summoned to care for him, speaking outside his courtyard in their free time.
At this thought, he lifted his palm slightly, and a wisp of vermilion Demon Qi swirled forth.
After capturing this substance, Qian Yiru could easily deduce what that Yu Family’s Cyan Simurgh was plotting.
He let out a breath.
A sinister chill flashed in his eyes.
’It’s a pity my body is in a strange state right now, so I can’t do much. The most I can do is offer a warning.’
’That Mountain Master named Lin can only pray for his own fortune.’
’But based on the academy students’ assessment of the man, with his personality, he will most likely take the bait.’
’A nine-in-ten chance of death.’
「Meanwhile, in the elegant courtyard.」
"Something’s not right."
Miss Yun clutched her heart and took a deep breath, panic rising in her eyes. "I have a premonition. The danger is real."
Ever since she was a child, whenever she had such a feeling, it always meant something had gone wrong somewhere.
"Come with me!"
Yu Sheng was clearly aware of Miss Yun’s ability. She first shouted to send a voice transmission to Lin Shu, but still feeling uneasy, she grabbed Miss Yun’s arm, executed a Wind-Riding Mountain Patrol technique, and vanished from the courtyard.
...
「In the mountains outside Wuyang County.」
「An unnamed, solitary peak.」
More than ten disciples, each holding a Spirit Stone, swiftly laid out a great formation in the surroundings.
On a mountain cliff, a thin middle-aged man sat cross-legged with his eyes slightly closed. The feathers at his temples swayed gently.
This was Vice Mountain Master Mingxuan, who should have already been on his way back to the Yu Family. Yet here he was, having stepped into a Demon Mountain.
"Master, Yu Sheng has broken through to the Golden Core realm!"
"Are we still returning to the clan?"
A disciple asked with an anxious expression, "With her current prestige, if you leave Anren Prefecture, I’m afraid you’ll be in an extremely passive position. In this disciple’s humble opinion, we should hurry back to the Martial Arts Academy before the news spreads..."
’As long as he returns to the Martial Arts Academy, he’ll at least still be the Vice Mountain Master, no matter what.’
’Given the current trend, if he returns to the clan now, it’s unlikely there will be a suitable position left for Master.’
"We will return to the Martial Arts Academy."
Yu Mingxuan slowly opened his eyes, his voice calm. "But since we’re already out, there’s no rush."
He truly hadn’t expected that the moment he left, Yu Sheng would immediately make such a big move.
Just the thought of having to swallow his pride and work under that bitch, living under another’s roof, made his entire face tremble.
"Before I go back, I have to give her a surprise."
"A surprise she’ll never forget for the rest of her life!"
Yu Mingxuan regulated his breathing, recalling the rumors about Lin Shu and Yu Sheng.
He even felt that if the rumors were true and he played his cards right, he might even be able to shatter that bitch’s Dao Heart directly, causing her to fall into a slump from which she could never recover, and personally sever her just-beginning path as a Celestial Pride.
Of course, even if he couldn’t achieve that, he could at least make Yu Sheng grieve for a while.
"Why should I be the one who’s always humiliated?"
"I’ve lost three apprentices. Even if it’s just trading three for one, it’s her turn to experience this feeling."
At this thought, a crazed smile couldn’t help but spread across his face.
That woman’s agonized expression would be the very solace his heart desperately needed while he bided his time and plotted his revenge.
"Doesn’t that worthless slave like defending the city? Didn’t he single-handedly scare off a cloud of demons?"
"When he leads that band of idiots from the Demon-slaying Bureau into this mountain, I will make him understand..."
"What a true Great Demon is!"

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